A “Full Track Resurfacing” at a cost of $7.650 million is included in council’s draft 2024/25 ‘Operational Plan’ (budget).
Also budgeted for are replacement/maintenance of tyre barriers, including at Griffins Bend (“Corner 2”) totalling $1.7 million; work on the approaches to the tunnel which runs under Conrod Straight ($1.00 million); a total of $150,000 on debris and fauna fencing; and an “Infrastructure Reserve” of $150,000.
According to council’s Director of Corporate Services and Finances, Aaron Jones, the works have been deemed necessary to safeguard Mount Panorama’s track licence, which is necessarily FIA Grade 3 in order to host the Supercars Championship.
However, they are reliant on a grant application.
“The track surface is starting to crack up,” he told the Western Advocate.
“The nature of that surface is that it’s supposed to be replaced every 10 years, and we’re actually at that time now where the surface is due to its replacement.
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“The need for the works associated with the tyre walls, it was identified at our track safety inspections that we need to start giving some attention to those tyre walls.
“Whilst we’ve been able to retain a track licence, we’re wary as to how long that licence would be retained if we didn’t do anything.”
The draft operational plan forms part of the agenda for tonight’s extra-ordinary council meeting, at which councillors would vote to place it on public exhibition.
The race track is also referred to in the Community Strategic Plan which forms part of state government-imposed reporting requirements for all New South Wales councils.
In it, Bathurst Regional Council resolves to “Support Mount Panorama Wahluu as a premier motor sport and event precinct,” under the objective entitled, “We aspire to have A SMART AND VIBRANT ECONOMY.”
Mount Panorama was last subject to a full resurface in 2014, with the breaking up of the track at Griffins Bend subsequently causing mayhem in that year’s Bathurst 1000 and a lengthy red flag period.
Sealant was applied to cracks on the surface just before the 2022 Bathurst 1000.
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